Police: No tears from Hamilton Township father after fatal stabbing of son

State police are investigating to determine whether to file charges in a Saturday night fatal stabbing in Hamilton Township. Thomas Howard Jr., 35, was stabbed during an altercation with his father, Thomas James Howard, 62, in their Tulip Lane home in Saylorsburg, police said.

State police are investigating to determine whether to file charges in a Saturday night fatal stabbing in Hamilton Township.

Thomas Howard Jr., 35, was stabbed during an altercation with his father, Thomas James Howard, 62, in their Tulip Lane home in Saylorsburg, police said. Howard Jr. was taken to Pocono Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:31 a.m. Sunday after emergency surgery failed.

Monroe County Coroner Bob Allen said an autopsy performed Monday at Lehigh Valley Hospital revealed the cause of Howard Jr.'s death as a stab wound to the abdomen and the manner of his death as homicide. Police charged Howard with aggravated assault Saturday night, but withdrew that charge Monday and said the investigation continues.

A police affidavit gives the following account:

At about 9:08 p.m. Saturday, a man later identified as Howard called 911 and yelled that he had stabbed his son, police said, though what led to the stabbing hasn't been revealed. The dispatcher kept Howard on the line until police arrived at his home.

Howard did not resist when police took him into custody.

Police said they found the injured Howard Jr. curled up in the fetal position on the porch and believe he was stabbed in the stomach with a bladed object, but didn't mention finding a weapon.

Police took Howard to the Swiftwater barracks and gave him his Miranda warnings. He invoked his rights and gave no statement.

Police said they saw small red drops believed to be blood on Howard's clothes and hands, and noted he didn't cry or seem upset at any time.

Stroud Township Magisterial District Judge C. Daniel Higgins Jr., who was on duty at the time, later arraigned Howard on a first-degree felony charge of aggravated assault and ordered him placed in Monroe County Correctional Facility in lieu of $100,000 bail. Police sent a press release Monday afternoon saying the charge had been withdrawn by the Monroe County District Attorney's Office and that the investigation continues.

Howard has been cleared for release from Monroe County Correctional Facility, according to First Assistant District Attorney Mike Mancuso.

The fatal stabbing comes almost three months after the November death of Debra Howard, the wife of Howard and mother of Howard Jr., at her daughter's Nazareth home.